OB Rag

by Ernie McCray

I saw something the other day
about what would you say
to your twenty-year-old self
as advice.

I’ve thought about it
once or twice
and what I would say to my
twenty-year-old self is:

“You’re on the right track, Jack!”

All events are online and free unless stated otherwise.

February 9th Wednesday 5:30 to 7 pm “Teaching about Diversity and the Controversy Over Critical Race Theory”

February 10th Thursday 4 pm – 5 pm San Diego Building Electrification Coalition monthly meeting.

February 10th Thursday 5:30 pm Smokescreen: Debunking Wildfire Myths to Save Our Forests and Our Climate.

February 10th Thursday 6 pm – 7:30 pm Transportation Equity Forum Event by SD350

February 12th Saturday 4:30 pm – 8 pm Fundraiser for WILDCOAST

COME INSIDE for all details and links.

Over this past weekend, Mike Williams, a good friend and occasional writer and photographer for the OB Rag, passed away. He had just begun treatment for lung cancer.

Mike is survived by his spouse, Michele Engleman, his daughter Jessica from a prior marriage, Michele’s daughter Emily, and Mike’s brother Jim – all of whom were with him until the end on Sunday, Jan. 30. And by many friends.

Mike – who recently authored posts for the Rag under his legal name, John M. Williams, on street vendors and the OB Rassle House – had penned several for the original OB Rag newspaper back in the 1970s.

An encampment of nearly 100 tents and makeshift structures along a section of Sports Arena Boulevard has been the home for many houseless citizens, but has drawn the wrath and concerns of local neighbors, businesses and the local planning committee – for valid reasons.

But Tuesday morning, Feb. 2, the city will send crews to the sprawling tent city, San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria announced Monday. In a press release, Gloria stated:

“The situation on Sports Arena Boulevard in the Midway community is wholly unacceptable. The potential for an outbreak of disease and the threat to public safety compels us to act now. As we continue to provide shelter and wide array of supportive services to unsheltered people living in the neighborhood, we cannot wait for something terrible to happen before we take decisive action.”

By Judi Curry

As a new grandmother today (Jan.31) – well, not exactly new as Elliott is my 20th grandchild – I am somewhat mellow. But only a little bit mellow – because there is a lot bothering me that I will be saying in the next few months. But let’s start with the new garbage collection procedure.

Have you watched any of the football games during the past few weeks? Have you attended any concert? Ice Hockey game? Wedding? Large gathering activity?

The OB Rag has just heard that a developer is now cutting down 3 large owl nesting trees and one towering palm tree at 5074 Lotus St. in OB (9 am, Tues, 2-2-22).

The Ocean Beach Planning Board meets Wednesday, February 2 at 6 pm. (Wow! 2-2-22!) As they have consistently done throughout the pandemic, the board meeting will be held virtually via Zoom. You can register for the meeting here.

4751-53 Pescadero

The only development project up for review and recommendation is an application for a Coastal Development Permit for 4751 Pescadero. The permit is for the construction of a new 2-story single unit with an attached ADU (accessory dwelling unit) and for a new additional detached ADU. There is already a 2-story house in the rear of the lot at 4753 Pescadero.

By Colleen O’Connor

Speaker Nancy Pelosi, first woman to head a major party in Congress and first woman ever elected Speaker, not once, but twice, has filed for re-election.

Many consulted the tea leaves and believed Pelosi would “retire” after she pledged just “two more terms as Speaker” in 2018. Those two terms are up this year. Not retiring, but perhaps giving up the Speakership?

So, why run again? Just to hang on to power in a year the Democrats are widely predicted to lose “bigly?”

Doubtful.

Here are the five most logical and daring reasons she is seeking re-election.

Pop Pie Co.
4195 Voltaire Street
San Diego, CA 92107
619-539-7052
Soft Opening Hours – 10:30am-7:00pm Daily
9:00am-9:00pm Friday and Saturday

By Judi Curry

Under normal conditions, I would never review a restaurant during the first week of operations. However, this is not “normal conditions” and people have been waiting for the Pop Pie Co. restaurant to open ever since it was announced that they were going into the old “Nati’s” building. (Obviously that did not work out.)

The Pop Pie Co. has been in Hillcrest for a long time, and since this is an adjunct of that restaurant, using the same menu and recipes, I decided to do a soft review to go with their soft opening. And yes, they are open now. I also want to be a little more clear about their location. They are on the corner of Catalina and Voltaire, next door to Cesarina’s and inside the storefront that stayed vacant for years after the coffee house moved out. Just down the street is another restaurant “Peace Pies” which is an entirely different restaurant.

By Mat Wahlstrom

By the time you read this, the city council today, Monday, Jan. 31, will have already likely voted in closed session to approve a settlement that lets everyone involved in the 101 Ash Street fiasco off the hook — except the taxpayer.

There’s been myriad reporting about the details of this scandal in other outlets, foremost the excellent analysis of why this is the likely result published by La Prensa San Diego. But the reason for my mentioning it is at the heart of my topic: why more and more of us are having to live in precarity, dependent on circumstances beyond one’s control and at the whim of others.

Among all the truths our electeds and their donors hold as self-evident, none is more sacred than ‘honor among thieves’ when it comes to raiding public funds.

After over two weeks of no information, today, Friday, San Diego authorities announced they believe the fire at the home of San Diego County Supervisor Nathan Fletcher and his wife, former Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez, was arson – and intentionally set.

On January 12, around 4 am, Fletcher, Gonzalez and their children escaped from their house in City Heights when the front porch was ablaze. Supporters of the out-spoken political couple feared for the worst, that the fire was arson and potentially an act of domestic terrorism.

By Peter Bohmer

This is an edited version of Peter’s talk at Economics for Everyone Forum, January 12th, 2022, at Evergreen State College.

We live in a critical juncture of a deadly pandemic that intensifies as the Omicron variant surges. I will focus on the U.S. economy with a focus on labor. Also, the causes and implications of the growth in prices, i.e., inflation, for different social classes. I will analyze the Omicron variant and what it means for future employment, inflation and the availability of goods and basic services. I will briefly examine, Biden’s Build Back Better proposed legislation and conclude with suggestions on how we can organize for economic justice.